L5030 Hydraulic/Hydrostatic Overtemp?

[46Willys]

My L5030 (hydrostatic with cab) is over 20 years old over 5.000 hours. It has been a good running unit for the last two years of my ownership. Recently, I started having hydraulic cylinder seal failures. I've fixed two of them and a third is in the shop right now. I also lost an O-ring from one of the loader quick connectors. When the last leak occurred, I noticed the loader cylinders were too hot to touch. Not hot enough to burn flesh, but way too hot to hold. I also looked at the transmission, and it felt very warm as well. I did not get a temp gun to determine actual temperatures. This last event was after several hours of moving dirt with the front loader.

I checked the oil cooler and it is clean (on the exterior) and unobstructed. I plan to change the hydraulic filters next. The current filters have about 140 hours since new. The hydrostatic seems to work okay. The loader works as good as ever.

The loader cylinders seem too hot in my uneducated evaluation. Now with a series of soft part failures, I'm wondering if my hydraulics are in fact overheating. Looking for someone's experience for if I have an actual problem and what to look at next.

 

[PoTreeBoy]

Since I bought my 2004 L35 in 2019, I've replaced almost every hose and repacked at least half the cylinders, plus a couple were apparently replaced before I got it. So, based on my experience, I'd say there's no cause for alarm.

I've noticed my system gets hotter, and the tractor runs hotter and uses more fuel, when I'm using the backhoe vs the loader. But I'm often digging stumps with the hoe and only picking up and then carrying brush with the loader. So it sounds like you're typically using your loader more intensely than I do.

Any time hydraulic fluid flows from high pressure to low, the friction generates heat. This could be due to lowering or raising a load, or leakage across a seal. The HST transmission also generates more heat than a gear type.

While you're checking things, make sure your 3ph valve isn't deadheading when fully up. Many Kubotas seem to have the feedback linkage misadjusted, causing this.

I wouldn't be too concerned, sounds like normal operation and aging to me.

 

[JasonW]

Get an actual temperature gun and check it. It’s probably not as hot as you think. Don’t throw parts at it if there isn’t an issue.

 

[TheOldHokie]

My L5030 (hydrostatic with cab) is over 20 years old over 5.000 hours. It has been a good running unit for the last two years of my ownership. Recently, I started having hydraulic cylinder seal failures. I've fixed two of them and a third is in the shop right now. I also lost an O-ring from one of the loader quick connectors. When the last leak occurred, I noticed the loader cylinders were too hot to touch. Not hot enough to burn flesh, but way too hot to hold. I also looked at the transmission, and it felt very warm as well. I did not get a temp gun to determine actual temperatures. This last event was after several hours of moving dirt with the front loader.

I checked the oil cooler and it is clean (on the exterior) and unobstructed. I plan to change the hydraulic filters next. The current filters have about 140 hours since new. The hydrostatic seems to work okay. The loader works as good as ever.

The loader cylinders seem too hot in my uneducated evaluation. Now with a series of soft part failures, I'm wondering if my hydraulics are in fact overheating. Looking for someone's experience for if I have an actual problem and what to look at next.

Not likely a problem. Too hot to comfortably touch is normal.

Dan